Bag grouper and method



April 16, 1968 w.s. WARE ETAL .BAG GROUPER AND METHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 17, 1967 INVENTORSI WALTER S. WARE DONALD R. CANNON FJM FIG-4 ATTORNEY April 16,1968 w. s. WARE ETAL 3,377,929

BAG GROUPER AND METHOD i1 19 F ed Jan 17 67 r 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

OPERA TED POSITION LEAD INVENTORSI WALTER S. WARE '6 DONALD R. CANNON ATTORNE V United States Patent 3,377,929 BAG GROUPER AND METHOD Walter S. Ware and Donald R. Cannon, West Monroe, La., assignors to Olinkraft, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 609,912 Claims. (CI. 93-93) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Method and apparatus for continuously feeding individual bags to a pair of helices for grouping said bags and spacing and continuously advancing said groups wherein said helices have hinged lead portions movable to effect a cutoff between the last bag of a given group and the first bag of the next succeeding group.

The present invention relates to grocery sacks, paper bags and similar articles, all hereinafter referred to as bags.

In particular, the invention relates to machinery and methods for counting, orienting and grouping bags immediately upon manufacture to facilitate subsequent automatic stacking and balin'g for shipment.

In general, the invention relates to delivering bags individually and sequentially in spaced array from a bag maker and depositing the bags in a vertical, collapsed condition (bottom side down) upon a receiving member while simultaneously inserting the bags between coils or single turns of a pair of cooperating spirals or helices. In

timed continuous and sequential fashion a predetermined number of bags are intercepted or collected separately to define a group of bags by effecting an entry or a cutoff between the last bag of a given group and the first bag of the next succeeding group to be formed.

A bag machine embracing certain principles of the invention may comprise a source of bags, a pocketed delivery means operative to deliver bags individually and sequentially in spaced relationship rom said source by depositing the bags in a vertical position upon a receiving member while simultaneously inserting the bags between mating single turns of a cooperating pair of rotating spirals or helices, the lead of the spirals being so selected, and the rotation of the spirals and the rotation of the pocketed feed wheel being so timed and phased relative to one another that mating single turns of the spirals intercept a predetermined number of bags during the course of a single revolution of the spirals, hinge means hinging a segment or a sector of an individual turn of each spiral at the upstream end of each spiral so that said segment is movable from a normal position in which the lead of each spiral is uniform throughout a plurality of turns to an operated position in which said segment develops a lead different from said uniform lead, cam and follower means cooperating with said segment operative to move said segment from the normal position to the operated position to effect unobstructed entry between spaced bags when said predetermined number of bags are being intercepted.

A process embracing certain features of the invention and practiced by the operation of the bag machine may comprise the steps of delivering collapsed bags in spaced array to a receiving member continuously and automatically, advancing the bags along a generally linear path by means of a plurality of cooperating spirals each having a given lead or pitch throughout a plurality of turns, continuously and automatically dividing the bags into groups each having a predetermined number of bags by intercepting or cutting off the last bag of a downstream group from the first bag of the next upstream group to be formed by 3,377,929 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 "ice mechanically changing the lead of a portion of a turn of said spirals at the upstream end of the spirals.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from an examination of the succeeding specification and claims when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a machine embracing the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1 showing the turn segment in the normal position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 as observed in the plane of the line 33 and in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the turn segment in the operated position; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 10 designates a bag delivery means keyed to and driven by shaft 11 having a plurality of pockets 12 each operative to receive and deliver bags 13 from a bag maker not shown.

As is more apparent in FIGS. 2 and 5, the delivery means 10 comprises two spaced sprocket-like wheels 14 and 16 having circumferentially spaced slots 17 and 18 which intercept notches 19 and 21 formed in a receiving member or plate 22.

The delivery means 10 is timed relative to a pair of spaced helices 23 and 24 supported and driven, in the direction of arrows 26 and 27, by shafts 28 and 29.

The revolutions per minute of the delivery means 10 is a fixed multiple of the revolutions per minute of the helices 23 and 24. Stated otherwise, the delivery means rotates at a substantially higher speed than the speed of rotation of the helices.

The lead or pitch of the helices, the phasing of the helices relative to one another and the phasing of the helices relative to the delivery means are all selected so that as the bags are deposited in sequential and continuous fashion upon the receiving member 22 a predetermined number of bags are intercepted or cutoff by the helices in periodic fashion to define groups of bags. I

Thereafter, the helices are further operative to advance the bags downstream in the direction of the arrow labeled 31.

As is apparent in FIG. 2, although helices 23 and 24 are of opposite hand, they are of uniform pitch or lead at least throughout a plurality of turns at the upstream end; otherwise the general structure of each helix is identical and for that reason the structure of helix 23 will be described with the understanding that the description also applies to helix 24.

The upstream single turn of helix 23 identified by the reference numeral 32 in FIG. 2 includes a turn segment or sector 33- hinged to the remaining portion of turn 32 by hinge means defining a pintle pin 34.

While the turn segment 33 is shown in its normal position in FIG. 2, i.e., normal position is that position in which turn segment 33 develops the same pitch or lead as the next downstream turns of the helix, it is movable by cam means which will be described in detail hereinafter, to an operated position (see FIG. 6), i.e., position in which turn segment 33 develops a lead different from the lead of its next adjacent turns.

The cam means for changing the lead of turn segment 33 includes a cam sector 36 secured to turn segment 33 as at 37 having a cam face 38 which cooperates, as helix 23 rotates in the direction shown, with a fixed follower 39 to mechanically change the lead of turn segment 33 from its normal uniform lead position to its operated position upon each revolution of helix 23.

After cam face 38 wipes free of follower 39, a coil spring 41 is operative to return turn segment 33 immediately to its normal position.

As stated previously, the lead or pitch of helices 23 and 24 is uniform at least throughout a plurality of turns at the upstream end of each helix and from one helix to the other. The lead has been selected to provide adequate space between single turns to receive a predetermined number or group of bags which, for purposes of the present description and explanation, may be considered to be 25. For example, the bag groups labeled 43, 44,45 and 46 each contain 25 collapsed vertically disposed bags (bottom side down).

The rotational speed of helices 23 and 24 and the phasing of these helices relative to one another is selected and adjusted relative to the rotational speed of delivery means 10 so that turn segment 33 of helix 23 and turn segment 42 of helix 24 move in unison to enter the space S (see FIG. between the last bag 47 (bag number 25 in a 25 bag group) and the next succeeding upstream bag 48 (the first bag in the next 25 bag group to'be formed) to effect a cutoff between bag group 43 and the next succeeding upstream bag group yet to be formed.

To facilitate the entry or interception step to turn segments 33 and 42 at the appointed time, and to avoid interference with delivery means (sprocket-like wheels 14 and 16) and/or bags being grouped, cam face 38 and cooperating followers 39 coact with one another in timed relationship relative to the entry of the turn segments 33 and 42 to cast the segments from their normal positions, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, to their operated positions as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The result of this occurrence is to permit operated turn segments 33 and 42 to enter in unobstructed fashion at space S between bag referenced 47 and bag referenced 48.

In timed relation and before tips 49 and S1 of turn segments 33 and 42, respectively, contact or make a jamming connection with adjacent sprocket-like wheels 14 and 16, turn segments 33 and 42 snap back abruptly and smartly in response to the urging of their respective coil springs 41--41 to the normal position shown in FIG. 2, wherein there is adequate clearance for the next following bags (such as those referenced 48 and 49 in FIG. 4) between the upstream extremities of the helices and the cooperating sprocket-like wheels 14 and 16.

As is apparent from the drawings, the turn segments remain in their operated position only for a short interval of time relative to the time required for a full revolution of the helices.

Obviously, it is within the spirit and scope of the present invention to select various leads, various rotational speeds and various multiples of rotational speeds which, with appropriate phasing, will permit the utilization of the principles of the present invention to group bags of a wide variety of sizes and materials into groups of virtually any desired number of units within a given group.

For example, it is anticipated that the present invention can be utilized to group bags of 50, 60 or 100 units and the bag size may range from so-called two pound grocery sacks up through large one hundred pound multi-wall sacks.

It is to be recognized that the process of the present invention involves the steps of automatically and sequentially (1) delivering collapsed bags in spaced array to a receiving member, (2) advancing the bags continuously and automatically along a generally linear path by means of a plurality of cooperating spirals having a given lead at their upstream ends, (3) continuously and automatically dividing the bags into groups where each group contains a predetermined number of bag units by (4) automatically and mechanically intercepting or cutting off the last bag of a downstream group from the first bag of the next following upstream group by (5) mechanically changing the lead of a portion of an upstream end of each of said spirals.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bag making machine of the type including pocketed, rotating delivery means operative to deliver bags individually and sequentially in spaced relationship from a bag source by depositing the bags in a vertical position upon a receiving member While simultaneously inserting the bags between mating single turns of a cooperating pair of rotating spirals or helices, the lead of the spirals being so selected, and the rotation of the spirals and the rotation of the pocketed feed wheel being so timed and phased relative to one another that mating single turns of the spirals intercept one or a predetermined number of bags during the course of a single revolution of the spirals, the improvement comprising: hinging a segment or a sector of an individual turn of each spiral at the upstream end of each spiral so that said segment is movable from a normal position in which the lead of each spiral is uniform throughout a plurality of turns to an operated position in which said segment develops a lead different from said uniform lead, and means cooperating with said segment operative to move said segment from the normal position to the operated position to effect unobstructed entry between spaced bags when said predetermined number of bags are being intercepted.

2. The machine of claim 1 in which the improvement includes means for returning said segment from the operated position to the normal position.

3. The machine of claim 1 in which the means cooperating with said segment defines a cam and follower.

4. A method of arranging bags in groups where each group embraces a single bag or a predetermined number of bags comprising the steps of automatically and sequentially delivering collapsed bags in spaced array from a source to a receiving member, advancing the bags continuously and automatically along a generally linear path by means of a plurality of cooperating spirals, said spirals each having a given lead at least throughout two or more upstream turns, continuously and automatically dividing the bags into said groups by automatically and mechanically intercepting or cutting off the last bag of a downstream group from the first bag of the next following upstream group, said intercepting step being effected by changing the lead of a portion or segment of one of said upstream turns.

5. The method of claim 4 in which the lead is changed mechanically.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 524,288 8/1894 Teal.

3,135,175 6/1964 Dexter 93-93 3,162,439 12/1964 Poland et al 271-71 3,280,679 10/1966 Hufiman 271 71 x ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner. R. I. HICKEY, Assistant Examiner. 

